What Every Woman Needs To Know About Herpes

The iconic 1982 Time magazine article “Herpes: Today’s Scarlet Letter” shed light on the stigmatizing nature of genital herpes infection. The study shows that women and Blacks are the most commonly infected with women at 20.5% and Blacks at 39.2%, nearly three times the rate of whites at 12.3%. Learn how to listen to each other and understand the emotional pain of another sister. I was in a platonic friendship with a guy for 10 years. We can not allow a major sect of people to suffer and we not seek God on their behalf. She brushed it off at first. Additional studies are needed to determine whether screening and treatment of BV could reduce susceptibility to the acquisition of HSV-2 in women.

They gave her some pills and sent her on her way after the yeast infection test came back positive. However, it is interesting to note blacks reporting one partner had a higher percentage of HSV-2 infection when compared to Mexican Americans who had the second highest and whites who reported having one partner. She decided that she would get the tests done for herpes just in case but knew that she had only been with two people, both times were when they were in monogamous relationships, and there had never been a time when they weren’t using protection. The woman ordered a kit from the mail that is sent directly to an urgent care facility nearby. Because of the incident, I refused to date him. She didn’t understand as she had no symptoms and had used c0ndoms every time. After reading more about it she found out that HSV-2 is transmitted by skin cell contact, not by fluids like other STDs.

She found out that 81% of people who have HSV-2 don’t know that they have it because like her they have no symptoms. She called up her two exes and spoke with them about the matter. But it is important to clearly convey the larger picture. Even though she had technically tested positive, she tested at a low risk index and there was a good chance she didn’t actually have herpes, it just detected some of the antibodies that may be present. Still to this day she does not know if she is in fact HSV-2 positive for sure or not. How do I tell a significant other? There is one test that is 100% accurate called the Western Blot but it’s only performed at the University of Washington and is a very expensive test that most insurance companies will not cover.

The woman sometimes regrets taking that test and wishes that she were living in blissful ignorance about the whole thing. She is now faced with a lifetime of wondering if she in fact has this incurable disease that could affect all of her future relationships.